Coaxial cables are commonly used for transmitting signals, particularly over community antenna television (CATV) lines, also known as cable television, where they are used for transmitting television signals from a central location to television sets in subscribers' homes, businesses, or other locations.
A typical coaxial cable is generally characterized by having a centrally located electrical conductor, usually made of copper, which is surrounded by a first dielectric insulator. This dielectric insulating layer can be made of plastic or foam and forms an annular ring of substantially uniform thickness around the centrally located electric conductor. Disposed over the outer surface of the dielectric insulator is a sheath of uniformly circularly braided metallic strands, or optionally a metallic foil, or further optionally a multilayered combination of either or both. This combination of braided metallic strands and/or metallic foil serves as a second, outer conductive shield. This outer conductive shield can be bonded to the dielectric insulator, as is typically the case when metallic foil and metallic braided strands are used in combination. More specifically, the conductive metallic foil can be bonded to the dielectric insulating layer, while the layer of conductive braided metallic strands is disposed over the metallic foil, but unbonded thereto. Moreover, this conductive shield serves as a ground shield and can be applied in various thickness which are known as single, double, and triple foil cable. An outer insulative plastic jacket surrounds the conductive ground shield in order to provide protection against corrosion and weathering.
It has long been known to use connectors to terminate coaxial cables in order to connect the cables to various electronic devices such as televisions, radios and the like. In order to effectively use the cable, a connector must be attached to at least one end of the cable, forming a coaxial cable-connector assembly. The cable-connector assembly facilitates mechanical and electrical coupling of the coaxial cable to the electronic equipment, or other cable. Such a connector, in order to be practical and effective must provide a reliable mechanical and electrical connection, as well as simple to install and use. Furthermore, the coaxial cable must be first prepared for termination before forming the cable-connector assembly.
In order to prepare the coaxial cable for termination, an extent of the outer jacket from one end of the coaxial cable is stripped back and removed, exposing an extent of the metallic conductive shield, which is then folded back over the jacket. This exposes a portion of the dielectric insulator, which may be optionally covered by a sheath of metallic foil. Finally, a portion of the dielectric insulator is removed, exposing a section of the centrally located conductor, which extends outwardly from the insulator.
The method of and apparatus for the mechanical and electrical coupling of the connector to the coaxial cable has been the subject of considerable design innovation. Conventional coaxial cable connectors generally include a connector body having an inner cylindrical post, which is inserted between the insulator and the outer conductive shield. It has been known in the prior art to provide various mechanisms and innovations designed to provide greater security to the cable-connector assembly. For example, it has been known to provide a locking sleeve to secure the cable within the body of the coaxial connector.
Commonly owned U.S. Pat. No. 4,834,675 addresses this problem by providing a coaxial connector where the locking sleeve is frangibly tethered to the connector body. Prior to installation, the locking sleeve is frangibly removed from the connector body and inserted onto the prepared end of the cable. The cable is then inserted into the connector body for securement thereto. While the connector of the '675 patent reduces the risk of mishandling or loss of the connector components during shipment, upon installation the locking sleeve must still be removed from the connector body and attached to the cable separately. Thus, there is still a risk of mishandling or loss of components during installation.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,470,257 also provides a coaxial connector with a locking sleeve being inseparably coupled to a connector body. Cable termination using the connector of the '257 patent requires that the prepared coaxial cable be inserted axially through both the locking sleeve and connector body. Thereafter, the locking sleeve can be axially advanced so as to secure the cable in the connector body.
While in many installations, this form of cable termination is acceptable, it has been found that insertion of the prepared cable through both the locking sleeve and the connector body may be difficult in certain situations. As the cable installer typically works outdoors in an elevated or underground environment, it may become difficult to “blind” insert the prepared cable through the locking sleeve and into proper position around the cylindrical post of the connector body. In these situations, it would be desirable to permit the removal of the locking sleeve from the connector body so that the cable could be directly inserted into the connector body.
This problem is addressed in commonly owned U.S. Pat. No. 6,530,807, which provides a coaxial cable connector having a connector body and a locking sleeve in detachable, re-attachable snap engagement with the connector body. This design permits direct insertion of the cable through the locking sleeve and the connector body, or, optionally, removal of the locking sleeve from the connector body for subsequent separate reattachment.
In these situations where the installer needs to “blind” insert the prepared cable through the locking sleeve and into proper position around the cylindrical post of the connector body, this invention provides another viable alternative. In such situations, it would be desirable to have a connector with an inner post that is not recessed into the connector body and whose opening is clearly visible to the naked eye, even in low light, and easily accessible even by touch and feel.
It is, therefore, desirable to provide a coaxial connector with an inner post that extends past the distal end of the connector body so as to allow the installer to see the exact area in which the prepared end of the cable will be inserted. Moreover, even when working in low light, such a connector would permit the installer to feel the extended portion of the cylindrical inner post of the connector and insert the prepared end of the cable easily into the post.